Jimmy Stobs is in his fifth year as head coach of the Navy men’s golf team. After directing Barry University to three NCAA Div. II National Championships and more than 50 team tournament titles, the two-time NCAA Div. II National Coach of the Year was named head coach of the Navy men’s golf program on Aug. 26, 2022. Stobs, who was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Hall of Fame in 2015, has coached 49 All-Americans and 26 Scholar All-Americans in his 20-plus years as a collegiate coach.
Since his arrival in Annapolis, Stobs has seen four of his players garner postseason recognition. In 2022-2023, Chip Deegan was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year based on a vote by the league’s coaches, while Keegan Shreves garnered Second-Team All-Patriot League honors. Shreves graduated as one of only six players in Navy men’s golf history to earn All-Patriot League recognition three or more times and the first since August Jonas did so in 2012, ‘13 and ‘14. In 2023-24, Jack Tarzy and Benjamin Valdez placed among the top five in the Patriot League Tournament to garner First-Team All-Patriot League accolades. In 2024-25, Deegan garnered PING All-Northeast Region honors following a standout season that included Second-Team All-Patriot League laurels. Last season, Deegan and Tarzy both earned PING All-Northeast Region accolades after both players were selected as First-Team All-Patriot League players. Deegan captured the Patriot League Tournament individual title en route to being named the Patriot League Player of the Year. Deegan and Tarzy finished the year with the second (71.77) and third-lowest (72.57) stroke averages in program history. Additionally, the pair finished the with second (73.22) and third-lowest (73.62) career stroke averages in Navy history. Tarzy won four individual titles in his senior campaign, the most by a Navy player since Billy Hurley won six tournaments in 2023-24. Tarzy’s four-career wins are tied as the fourth most in program history, while Deegan picked up a pair of wins over his career.
The Mids have made significant strides over the last three years under the guidance of Stobs, who, along with assistant coach Jimmy Criscione, were named the Patriot League Men’s Golf Coaching Staff of the Year last spring. Navy improved from a 304.96 stroke average in 2023-24 to a 297.7 mark in 2024-25. Last year, the Mids closed out the year with a 292.6 stroke average. According to Scoreboard’s adjusted scoring average, Navy jumped from a 303.2 to a 295.5 to a 292.6 Additionally, Navy’s winning percentage took another major step forward (19-91-1 / 35-79-3 / 55-83-3).
The Mids earned their first team win in the Stobs era when they captured the Alex Lagowitz Memorial to open the 2024-25 campaign where they turned in a 3-under par 573 to top the field.
Navy captured its eighth Patriot League title and first under Stobs when when the Mids overcame an eight-stroke deficit to win the 2026 Patriot League Men’s Golf Championship at the par-70 West Point Golf Course. Deegan captured individual medalist honors, while he and freshman Hudson Mitchell secured a spot on the all-tournament team. Navy also made its first NCAA Regional appearance in the Stobs era when it competed at the 2026 NCAA Winston-Salem Regional where the Mids placed 14th among 19 teams.
Navy also claimed its first Star victory over archrival Army in the Stobs era, as the Mids defeated the Black Knights 6-5 in Annapolis on Oct. 12, 2026.
One of the sport’s most accomplished coaches, Stobs built the Barry men’s golf program into a Division II powerhouse. Under his direction, Barry has won three NCAA Division II National Championships (2007, 2013 and 2014). The Bucs made 18 of their 19 NCAA Tournament appearances during Stobs’ tenure, while making finals appearances in 14 of his 20 years.
Stobs became the first coach in NCAA history in any division to win national championships under the two formats used to crown a champion. In 2007, he led Barry to the national title under the stroke play-only format. In 2013 and 2014, the Buccaneers won championships awarded to teams which, after emerging from the stroke play, were victorious in the match play format.
In addition to the 49 GCAA All-Americans in which he coached at Barry, three players under his tutelage have been named the Jack Nicklaus Division II National Player of the Year, including AJ Ewart who won the prestigious award this past spring. Ewart also became just the second Division II player and first from Barry to win the Golfstat Cup (nation’s lowest stroke average) with his 69.48 scoring average.
Following a successful 10-year professional playing career, Stobs began his coaching career at Barry in the fall of 2002 where the Bucs would experience immediate success. Stobs led the Bucs to the NCAA Division II South/Southeast Super Regional for the first time in program history in his inaugural season (2003) while John Quigley became the first Barry men’s golfer to earn an individual bid to the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament. A year later, Barry finished second at the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Tournament and went on to place second in the NCAA Regional. By virtue of their finish at the Super Regional, the Bucs made their first appearance at the NCAA Division II National Championship where they placed third. Ryan Lamond tied for 10th at the NCAA Tournament and became the first men’s golfer in Barry history to earn GCAA All-America honors. Stobs, meanwhile, was named the Division II South Region Coach of the Year, his first of six citations earned at Barry.
Just five years into his stay in Miami Shores, Stobs was named GCAA Division II National Coach of the Year after leading the Buccaneers to an unprecedented 121-35-5 tournament record and the 2007 NCAA Division II national title -- the first in program history. The Buccaneers finished in the top 10 in all 12 of their tournaments with nine top five finishes.
The 2019-20 team was one of the program’s best, as Barry claimed a divisional-best five team titles under Stobs’ tutelage before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. When Barry suspended all athletic activities, the team was ranked No. 1 in the country headed into the final stretch of the season.
In May 2022, AJ Ewart was the NCAA South Region individual medalist and led Barry to the national finals for the first time since 2019 and the 14th time under Stobs. Top-ranked Barry placed second in the 20-team field which featured eight of the top-10 programs in the country. Stobs was named the SSC Coach of the Year and was among five finalists for the 2022 Dave Williams Award presented to the Division II men’s golf national coach of the year after leading the Bucs to wins in eight tournaments.
Stobs joined the Barry staff in the fall of 2002 after 10 years playing professional golf. He played on several different tours, including the Nike (1997), Golden Bear, South American, Montgomery, South Florida and Trans-Act Mortgage tours. Throughout his 10-year professional career, Stobs enjoyed great success, winning 25 mini-tour events, including the 1998 Florida Open.
A graduate of Florida Atlantic with a bachelor’s degree in communications, Stobs played for the Owls in 1991-92 under Mary Mills. He was part of a squad which won four-consecutive tournaments and finished fourth in the NCAA Division II national tournament, earning the team’s sportsmanship award. He also played for Georgia Southern from 1987-90.
In the summer of 2008, Stobs was selected as the head coach for the 2008 USA team that competed in the Fuji/Xerox Championship in Tokyo, Japan, and helped Team USA take back the title in the annual event. In 2015, he coached the USA to a fourth-place finish at the Toyota Junior World Golf Cup in Japan.
Throughout his coaching career, Stobs has been an active leader at both the regional and national levels, serving on numerous prestigious committees within collegiate golf. A dedicated member of the GCAA, he currently serves as Second Vice President of the GCAA National Advisory Board and previously was one of only two Division II coaches selected to serve on the GCAA National Board of Directors. He is also one of just 25 coaches who participate in the GCAA National Coaches Poll.
In 2008, Stobs served on both the GCAA International Team Selection Committee and the Jack Nicklaus Award Committee. He has also contributed extensively to the GCAA All-America and All-Freshman Committee, chairing the committee in 2008. Since 2006, he has served on the NCAA South Region Selection Committee and has previously been a member of the David Toms Award Committee, which recognizes the collegiate golfer who demonstrates exceptional perseverance in overcoming adversity.
A native of Miami, Stobs began his coaching career at Miami Country Day School in 1994. He is married to the former Carrie Santis.
Stobs By The Numbers
At Navy
• 1 National Tournament Appearance // 2026
• 1 Patriot League Championship // 2026
• 1 Patriot League Player of the Year // Chip Deegan (2026)
• 3 Scholar All-Americans // Keegan Shreves (2023), Benjamin Valdez (2025), Jack Tarzy (2026)
• 3 team tournament wins in program history // Alex Lagowicz Memorial (2024-25), Commander-In-Chief’s Cup (2025-26), Patriot League Championship (2025-26)
At Barry University
• 3 NCAA Division II National Championships // 2007, 2013, 2014
• 14 NCAA Championship Appearances // 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022
• 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances // 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• 19 NCAA Regional / Super Regional appearances, including 2010 and 2014 regional titles
• 5 Sunshine State Conference Championships // 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2022
• 2 Division II National Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association of America // 2007, 2013
• 49 GCAA All-Americans, including First-Team members Hernan Borja, Chris Carlin, AJ Ewart, Daniel Stapff, Adam Svensson (2x), Scott Smyers, Jorge Garcia and Niclas Weiland (2x)
• 3 Jack Nicklaus DII National Player of the Year // Adam Svensson (2014), Jorge Garcia (2019), AJ Ewart (2022)
• 1 Phil Mickelson Division II Freshman of the Year // 2013 (Adam Svensson)
• 56 team tournament wins in program history
• 4 Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year awards // Victor Billskoog (2006), Adam Svensson (2013), Mario Beltran (2014), Niclas Weiland (2016)
• 4 Sunshine State Conference Players of the Year // Daniel Stapff (2010), Adam Svensson (2014), Jorge Garcia (2019), AJ Ewart (2022)
• 23 Scholar All-Americans, including two CSC Academic All-Americans in Patrick Brisley (2000) and Daniel Stapff (2012)
• Daniel Stapff named NCAA Division II Elite 89 award winner in 2012 and NCAA Division II Elite 88 recipient in 2010
• Jimmy Stobs, who coached the United States team at the 2015 TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup in Japan, was inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame in 2015
